- Magical Journeys
- Disney vacation specialist to coordinate room and tickets for us.
- Ordered Child ID wristbands from Ready Safety
- Bright pink with pocket for cell phone numbers, first trip to a park we took the kids to a random street shop and showed them a cast member badge and explained to them that if we got lost they should go up to a cast memeber and show them the braclet (which became anklets by end of week) and have them call us.
- Matching bandanas
- I had seen a family at KC zoo with this plan and it worked well. We tied one on each stroller - made it much easier to find from stroller parking. One was also tied to any bag that could get left (purse, diaper bag), made it easier to police the area for left items.
- Prepurchase Photo Pass CD
- If you are going for a week especially if there are kids plan on getting the photo pass CD, and if you prepay you save 20%
Once we got settled Tracy and I headed over to Gooding's Grocery to stock our Kitchen.
Then we headed down to our resorts quick food Roarking Forks, Pooch and I picked up
Refillable mugs but since we ended up not having as much Pool time as planned it wasn't that good a deal.
I did stop by the Pin shop in the hotel lobby for my first Pin Trading of the trip (My Pins).
The rest of our party arrive and Peter, Pooch and I headed down for the
Electric Water Pageant which is a relaxing silly thing,
on the beach.
Holly went over to her RAD confrence and Pooch slept in.
This was a very different trip thru the Magic Kingdom then my last one, last time I started with a dash for Space Mountain fast passes.
This time it was all about the "oh Shiny" - Just inside the gates we saw Daisy Duck and waited to say hello and get photos with her.
As we started our stroll down Main Street the Trolley Show was just starting where Disney dancers come down the Horse-Drawn Trolley and perform a short show in the middle of Main Street.
Our next stop was at a cart shop to make sure to show the girls what a cast member badge looked like and that if the adults got lost that if they showed their ID bracelt to a cast member they would help find us.
We did a bunch of photos in front of Cindarella's Castle and Dream Along with Mickey was just about to start so we watched that - Willow from my shoulders.
After the show we walked around the Castle and found Cindarella's Fairy God mother and got one of my favorite shots of the trip, the
two god mothers, the fairy god mother, and the god-daughter 
On into FantasyLand we went on Peter Pan's Flight which Willow decided was scary.
Next was It's a Small World which was Willows Favorite.
About this time Holly has gotten back to the room and she and Pooch have come over to the park and ridden Pirates of the Caribbean and are ready
to meet up with us.
We all meet over at the Crystal Palace for our lunch reservations. We still had
quite a wait even with reservations but inside the buffet was good (and we listened when he suggested that a second chocolate milk
for the kids and hot day might be a bad combination). We got to see Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and my favorite EEYORE!
They come around to each table for pictures and interaction. After lunch Peter took Hazel back for a nap, we did some shopping on Main Street
and got the older girls hats and Pin Lanyards. Then headed back to Fantasyland and ran into Cindarella's Stepmother and step-sisters (Anastasia and Drizella) before
Holly and Tracy braved Ariel's Grotto with the girls while Pooch and Star escaped the hour long wait
in the heat and did Pirates of the Caribbean.
When we met back up we decided that an inside cool attraction was the ticket and watched
Mickey's PhilharMagic (which was also scary for Willow).
Pooch's friend Danielle had arrived and they went off on their own. Star took Willow on It's a Small World
while Rowan went on Peter Pan's Flight with Tracy.
Peter and Hazel were back so one more round on Small World with Willow and Hazel while waiting for Rowan and then
we headed over to Cinderella's Golden Carousel. The girls were in line
waiting for Dumbo when the Rain came down and the decision was this was a good time to head back to the hotel.
Star caught up with Pooch
and Danielle as they came off the Haunted Mansion and they all went to see the
The Enchanted Tiki Room. Heading out of
Magic Kingdom they stopped by Guest Relations to check for a lost hat and made dinner reservations
over at Hollywood Studios at the
Sci-Fi Dine in.
We had hoped to go on Rock and Roller coaster before dinner but the wait was to long so went on the Great Movie Ride and then
had dinner at the Sci-Fi Dine In
watching B movie clips from a car made into tables. Star had a Rum Runner and declared it good. We had time for one more ride and
caught the last run of Star Tours before taking the bus back to the hotel.
The rest of the crew had gone to the Pool and then dined at Roaring Forks.
[Insert from Peter] Peter and Hazel headed from Epcot back to the hotel via monorail. It was a great idea, but technical difficulties caused it to take much longer than expected. Hazel didn't really nap and Peter ended up taking her to the Magic Kingdom rather than heading back out to Epcot. Hazel enjoyed being carried through the Swiss Family Robinson's treehouse. She loved the Tiki room. She was a little apprehensive about the tiki masks until I talked to her about the "puppets", then she wanted "tiki again!". I got turned around coming out of the tiki room and we ended up seeing the country bear jamboree which she also loved. I gave her a choice at that point and she wanted to see "dolls" again so we rode on small world.
[Back to Star and the main group] We started the World in Mexico and joined Donald Duck on the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros (which to Willows delight had more dolls). We then headed to China where we ran into princess Mulan and Rowan got some photos with her. Just outside Germany we found Snow White and Dopey. The rain of the day started and we ran ahead to Morocco where we were able to find Princess Jasmine (who was the only character Willow approached). After waiting out the rain we headed over to France for the ever popular Pasty stop at Boulangerie Patisserie where we caught up to Pooch and Danielle before they left the park for their dinner at Medieval Times. Tracy made sure we stopped to see Miyuiki - Candy Artist spinning wonder and creating a white tiger in Japan. Then Star and Rowan stopped in Norway to try out Malstorm with Rowan (who declared it scary) while Tracy and Willow went back to Mexico and made a mask and rode the Three Caballeros again. We were all pretty wiped out by then so headed back to the room and ordere in Pizza from Room service.
Star and Peter headed back to the park to ride on Haunted Mansion, Pirates,
Jungle Cruise, Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (where Star beat Pooch's score from earlier).
I got a new high step total on my pedometer of 27,564 steps (about 11 miles)
Then we all split up with Holly, Peter, Pooch, Willow and Hazel
going on the Jungle Cruise and then heading over to Hollywood Studios for
the rest of the day.
Team Spoil the Goddaughter took Rowan over to Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for her castle makeover where our
GodMother and GodDaughter Shirts were a big hit.
Princess Rowan got the Jasmine option, the Fair Godmothers in training are amazingly patient.
Afterwards we had lunch reservations with the princesses at Cinderella's Castle Table.
I had the Major Domo's Favorite Pie which was the best food I had the entire trip.
You get a professional photo shoot with the makeover so we then headed to Town Square Exposition Hall on Main Street for the photo shoot
Tracy waited for the prints while Rowan and Star watched the last half of the Dreams come true parade.
Then we all wandered up mainstreet and caught a show by the Dapper Dans Barbershop Quartet and their
Deagan Organ Chimes. Rowan heard that they were looking for guests to be in the Family Fun Day Parade so we got to be on the Pom Pom squad. Star waited to get
the photos from the parade added to our photopass while Tracy and Rowan headed over to ride Dumbo. After some poweraid and a
giant cookie at Main Street Bake Shop, Star caught the Flag Retreat and watched
storm clouds roll in over the castle. It was just starting to drizzle when we hooked back up and headed for the boat. By the time the
boat arrived it was raining so we wrapped Rowan in a poncho and carried her onto the boat, and then into the hotel.
During all this Peter and Holly headed over to Hollywood Studios, dodging rainstorms, with Willow and Hazel. Willow wanted to see the Voyage of the Little Mermaid, but the line was insane, so we grabbed Fast Passes and headed off to the Muppet's in 3D. Hazel got a huge kick out of them "blowing up the theater" and it was the best 3D experience Willow had, as nothing scary flew at her. Then the Little Mermaid and back to the hotel.
We had some dinner reservations but with the downpour we opted for hot dogs in the room. Pooch and Holly went back to Hollywood Studios
again that night, as Holly had never been on Rockin Roller Coaster. Everything had a massive line, even in after hours,
they also took in Star Tours and headed back to the hotel.
The kids and parents headed back to the hotel as the others
did a bit of shopping. Star headed over to Studios to ride Rock and Roller coaster and
Pooch headed back to the hotel to crash out early.
Back at the hotel we met up with our new best friend from Kids Nite Out who watched the kids
while we got a drink in the bar and then met up with the others for dinner at Whispering Canyon Cefe, a
very interactive western themed dining experience - be sure to ask for Ketchup. After dinner (and releasing our BESTEST friend ever). Tracy and Holly took the girls down to see the light parade on the beach.
Mike and Peter headed out to the Adventurers Club on
Pleasure Island (which is closing down) but Star and Pooch were to exhausted to go along.
ToDo Next Time
Lessons Learned